Posts filed under ‘Yoga’

If as meditators, we have the limited intention to only express silent forms within the limits of our breathing, which we inhale and exhale through our limited karmic body’s obscured nostrils, then it is all right for us to be always bound by the limited space of our traditional cushions and to be reborn as nearly silent cows, except for an occasional moo. If we have the vast intention to be sublime meditators, then we must release our mind from concentration and relax in infinite natural clear awareness spaceless space. Whatever conceptions of existence and nonexistence arise, we can release them until our thoughts, like self-liberated cloudknots, become light ornaments of traditionless display.”

Everywhere right now, nowhere else, all the time, truly exists in holographic non-duality the open empty door for all to experience who are true seekers. The microcosm is the a-temporal primordial seed potential and the macrocosm is the entire universal universe physical, energetic, everchanging, and temporal. On the other hand, is the microcosm imprinted within all beings and things, while suddenly we might awake to our inherent sympathetic harmony as healing vibrations of love, light, and complete clarity of awareness? Inside and out, left/right, up/down, forward/back are all linked together by limitless and infinitesimal love essence.

Is every “thing” and being a macrocosmic or microcosmic entry point or portal to anywhere else in the hologram? Is anything really solid, non-vibratory, autonomous, dead, and discrete?

After defining the body in context with how the body was made, what co-evolutionary forces were involved, what elements are involved in terms of the air, water, gravity, energy, the planet, galaxy, universe, the intelligent evolutionary force, and its beginningless uncreated source — innate primordial wisdom. When all this is in synchronicity, then vast creative/evolutionary being is expressed in each and every action, speech, and thought.

Regarding the true nature of phenomena and being, that is a deep inquiry. It is also a subject of yoga. Abiding in one’s true nature, one abides in primordial knowledge. The common difficulty of the mind lost in ignorance, sleep, and forgetfulness is that their experience (being) is limited by their lack of realization. Put another way, being is limited by absence of primordial awareness, which bestows a freedom upon one’s evolutionary potential of being/embodying. In Buddhism being bathed in primordial light, is the realization and experience of the nirmanakaya Buddha. This is reflexive. It is taking refuge in the true body of the Buddha, his energetic body, and formless primordial essence, as one takes refuge in body, speech, and mind of all the Buddhas.

The ten virtuous actions of body, speech, and mind arise naturally when one refrains from the ten types of negative deeds. Hence we can see that embracing virtuous discipline is also another basis for the taking of refuge. In this approach, whatever actions you do, they are all offerings and service to the Buddhas.

Now that we have discussed some of the trainings that are the basis for taking refuge, what are the objects in whom we take refuge? They are the three jewels. The first jewel is the Buddha, who possesses the three kayas, or the enlightened body, speech, and mind.

The Buddha is said to possess three kayas or ‘bodies’ of enlightenment. The Buddha’s Dharmakaya is like the vastness of the sky or space. The Buddha’s Sambhogakaya manifests without Buddha ever straying from Dharmakaya-it is like the moon in the sky. The Buddha’s appearance as the Nirmanakaya of flesh and blood is like the moon reflected in a pool of water.

The second jewel is the Dharma. This is the tripitaka, the three baskets of scriptures. We take refuge in the Dharma because the realization that arises in the minds of practitioners is based on the understanding of the scriptures. The third jewel is the Sangha, the enlightened community, the Arhats, Bodhisattvas, and Deities.

One who has taken refuge is surely and steadily following the path that leads to enlightenment. We take refuge for all sentient beings. This brings our refuge to the level of the Mahayana or great vehicle, which wishes to save every living being.”

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All meditation practices must be structured according to the three excellences: that which is virtuous in the beginning, that which is virtuous in the middle, and that which is virtuous in the end.

In meditation, the most important thing is meditation on emptiness. All the attainments of the Buddhas are the result of meditation on emptiness. We ourselves have not become Buddhas because we have not effectively meditated on emptiness.

What is virtuous in the beginning is refuge. What is virtuous in the middle is the main part of the practice. What is virtuous in the end is the dedication of merit. Hence we can see that the taking of refuge is the basis of all further practice.

The phrase “the unity of clarity and emptiness” (sal tong zung jug), is a special term for the view favored by the Sakya tradition. If you care to observe your perceptions, you will find that whatever you perceive and whatever you experience is the reflection of these three: clarity, emptiness, and their unity. This is what is meant by the unity of clarity and emptiness, and this is what you must realize. To realize this is to realize the true nature (dharmata) of the Buddhas.

There are many similar terms, such as “the unity of appearances and emptiness” (nang tong zung jug). Things do appear, but when you examine them in meditation, you discover that they are empty of any inherent existence. Also, we may speak of the unity of sound and emptiness or “audible” emptiness (drak tong zung jug). Everything that we hear, if examined, is found to be empty. In this case, emptiness is discovered and established through hearing sounds, which are not inherently present by themselves.

As we have said, when the last thought has ceased, and the next thought has not yet arisen, there is a gap. In this gap your mind is not like a blank space, as there is some experiencing or knowing present. When recognized, this is luminosity (osal); it is also known as self-knowing primordial wisdom, or simply as awareness (rigpa). This awareness is a non-dual continuity.

Whether one speaks of dzogpa chenpo, mahamudra, or khorde yerme, there is nothing beyond just this; there is nothing more to be discovered. Now, once you have recognized awareness (rigpa), it is necessary to remain in that state. It is not enough simply to recognize, you must continue on in the recognition. In order to be able to do so, you must receive the transmission and guidance of a genuine master and the blessings of an authentic lineage. This continuity in the recognition of awareness is the real meaning of the inseparability of samsara and nirvana; it is the great seal (mahamudra); it is the great perfection (dzogchen).

In the present context, we can say that those who have not learned to recognize the true nature of mind, ultimate bodhicitta, are only able to exchange themselves for other beings and to try to eliminate the suffering of others through prayer, visualization, and empathizing with others. However, if one knows how to recognize the true nature of mind, and mixes or merges the exchange of self and others with the recognition of mind nature, this is the best possible way to practice this exchange.

The ultimate awakening of bodhicitta includes the realization that the true nature of all living beings is utterly free from all the varieties of temporary, conceptual confusion that normally deludes them. In fact, all beings share the true nature of phenomena (dharmata), which is emptiness. All beings have awareness-wisdom (rigpa’i yeshe), the luminous clear light of the nature of reality. The true nature of all living beings is the expanse of primordial purity (kadag ying). This essence is present in all living beings, and it never leaves them, but they fail to recognize it. Recognizing it is the ultimate awakening of bodhicitta.